Here is my list of the best songs picturized on children, about children or involving children:

1. Leading the list and as yet unmatched in innocence and a genuine warmth that made one love these children is Shekhar Kapur’s Masoon – Lakdi ki kaathi! The parents wage war over a child from a previous entanglement, but the children have already accepted each other:

2. While it is an adult telling a story to children, Big B’s approach to the story telling in Mr. Natwarlal and how it engages the kids is astonishing. Of course the story ends in hilarity – Par Uncle aap to abhi jinda hain! Arre yeh jeen abhi koi jeena hai Lalloo?

3. Then we have songs that tie the past and the present – two great ones come to mind. The first is from Yaadon ki baraat (with a totally cutesy child Aamir Khan) and the second is from Hare Rama Hare Krishna. Both songs were sung by Lata and other adult voices in the young version, and that is why they do not have the appeal of Lakdi ki Kathi but as plot devices they worked really well!

4. Next up is this gem from Guddi showing a very very young Jaya and her journey from schoolgirl to young woman. In this song we see the school girl full of innocence and mischief.

5. This was not really a Sound of Music “remake” but still had some shades of that film. A music teacher, a pack of brats, and their older sister, and the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – what a wonderful song!

6. Something form the recent Taare Zameen par – this one really captures the joy of a boy, bindaas, unfettered, out to have fun

7. And finally one from the film One 2 Ka 4 – a bachelor, no idea on how to handle kids, inherits a dead friend’s kids, and messes up royally! After that all he is left with is to say SORRY, and start over: